I completely understand what you're saying; I have no desire to see Manowar evolve (I also have no fear that they will
). However, with respect to Sabaton, the reason I don't like the new album isn't because they failed to evolve, it's because it's the weakest collection of songs they've released.
Agreed. However, where is the band who released a great collection of Power Metal songs? Not necessarily original or groundbreaking... just great, kick ass songs?
If I was burnt out on the genre, than the Sinbreed disc wouldn't be finishing the year in my Top 10 this year.
By the way, in your assessment of the current state of Power Metal, where you went through about 20 of the bigger 2010 Power Metal CDs, where was the disc that
you thought was fantastic? Here are some of the descriptors you used....
"the album is fine"
"for me this is just a real solid album"
"meets expectations"
"This one is actually a disappointment"
"they make the same album all the time"
"Actually a disappointment"
"quite stagnant"
"a disappointment"
Those are hardly glowing words of praise for your genre. Where are the amazing, 10/10, buy or die Power Metal CDs of 2010? The discs that you'll be reaching for in five years?
Don't really know what you want from me man. Are you trying to make me see sense? Are you trying to reason with a dyed in the wool cheesehound as Frankster calls me? I'm far too set in my musical ways to move now and your attempts at gaining admissions from me are doomed to failure. Power metal is under my skin and I carry it like a badge and I'm very happy with pm bands of today and what they are delivering for me as a pm fan.
You are obviously far more discerning and need something more from your pm than I do and that's fine. You can scream about bands being this and that and stagnant but in the end I like the power metal albums and songs released these days more than ever if truth be told thanks to much better production values and vocals. Perhaps it helped that I was a relative late comer to power metal as I only really heard my first new wave of power metal in 98 when I fell in love with Legacy of Kings. I was never and old schooler when it comes to pm, Keeper era meant jack to me to be honest.
I like close to 200 albums in 2010 and these are the 59 power metal albums amongst them since you are interested. I really really like these records to varying degrees. If you think the vast majority of them are worthless rehashes you're probably right but I could care less. Can you see what I'm getting at here? So if 50 odd albums can satisfy me from a pm persepective I'm happy. Heck even if yo take out 30 of them and left the best 20 I'm still righteously happy to have 20 great pm albums. Like I keep saying we seem to be on complete polar opposites with regard to modern pm. The ones with asterix are the albums I consider to be great or awesome even. Over to you!
Amberian Dawn - End Of Eden
Ancient Bards - The Alliance Of The Kings
Anthriel - The Pathway
*Arryan Path - Terra Incognita
Arthemis - Heroes
*Axel Rudi Pell - The Crest
Concerto Moon - Angel Of Chaos
Crystal Viper - Legends
Dark Moor Ancestral Romance
Disdain - Leave This World
*Dream Evil - In The Night
*Edenbridge - Solitaire
Eternal Reign - The Dawn Of Reckoning
Excalion - High Time
Firecracker - Born of Fire
*Firewind - Days of Defiance
*Galneryus Resurrection
Gamma Ray - To The Metal!
*Ghost Machinery - Out For Blood
Ghosthill - Embrace Of A Chasm
Halford - Made Of Metal
*Helloween - 7 Sinners
*InnerWish - No Turning Back
*Instanzia - Ghost
Juvaliant - Inhuman Nature
Katra - Out Of The Ashes
Kerion - The Origins
*Magic Kingdom - Symphony Of War
*Masterplan - Time to be King
Metal_Inquisitor-Unconditional_Absolution
Painside - Dark World Burden
Pastore - The Price for the Human Sins
*Pathfinder - Beyond The Space Beyond The Time
Pertness - From the Beginning to the End
PowerWorld
*Rage - Strings to a web
*ReinXeed - Majestic
Rhapsody Of Fire - The Cold Embrace Of Fear
*Rhapsody of Fire - The Frozen Tears of Angels
Ross the Boss - Hailstorm
Royal Jester - Night Is Young
*Sabaton - Coat Of Arms
*Signum Regis - The Eyes of Power
Silverlane
*Sinbreed - When Worlds Collide
Soulspell - Labyrinth Of Truths
SpellBlast - Battlecry
Stratosphere
*Sunrise - Trust Your Soul
Thaurorod - Upon Haunted Battlefields
*Triosphere - The Road Less Travelled
*Versailles - Jubilee
Vindex - Ultima Thule
Violet Sun
Virgin Steele - The Black Light Bacchanalia
Winter's Verge - Tales of Tragedy.
Winterstorm A Coming Storm
Wolfcry - Glorious
*Wuthering Heights - Salt